Personal Authority is being Practiced, Part 2

Scripture: Jeremiah 5:30-31

"An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?

Insights: Yesterday we started this conversation regarding us ruling on our own authority and how it has crept into almost every area of the American church.  As a way of illustration we began discussing the worship wars which have gone on for so long.  Let’s break down some of the components with which God Himself has already spoken regarding this issue.  God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament.  If He declares a thing in the Old Testament, it is still valid in the New Testament unless He specifically addresses the matter.  The Psalms are the Bibles hymnal.  If we want to know about worship, that is the place to start.  First thing we learn about God’s desires regarding worship is He likes lots of instruments.  Ps. 150:3-5 reads, “Praise Him with the trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.  Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.  Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.”  Second, God likes it LOUD.  Psalm 95:1-2, “O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.  Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”  One of my favorite stories regarding prayer is found in 2 Chronicles 20 and at the point the people trust God you find this verse, “The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a VERY LOUD VOICE (vs 19).”  Even in Psalm 150, which we have already looked, God tells us to use LOUD cymbals.  We have come to assume that loud and lots of instruments are irreverent before God, really?  When God has called us to be loud and use them, then is it really irreverent?  Reverence is a heart issue not an ambience issue.  You, like me, may not prefer it loud, but we don’t have a voice.  God has spoken on the matter.  One last point regarding worship: God desires a new song.  We get caught up in singing the same songs every so many weeks and then we start over.  God declares in Psalm 33:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, and 149:1, “Sing to the Lord a new song.”  He has spoken and His rule is all that matters.

Questions:

1. Do you desire to give God the type of worship He likes?
2. Is your life characterized as one of worship?

Prayer: Father, forgive me, when I offer You only what I like.  Help me grow into a worshipper that desires to please You and only You.  Let my worship be to an audience of One.  Amen.